Aston Martin Vantage V12 S first drive review

It is the formula that has spawned a range of automotive legends, from the original Ford Escort and Lotus Cortina to modern hot hatches such as the Ford Fiesta ST.

But the Aston Martin Vantage V12 S, which arrives here later this year priced from $389,300 plus on-road and dealer costs, takes it to the extreme.

Stuffed in the nose of the baby coupe, where normally a 4.7-litre V8 sits, is the company’s long-standing 6.0-litre V12.

Aston Martin Vantage V12 S video review

But more than that, the S version adds even more power, bumping its maximum output to 422kW at 6750rpm thanks to new engine management software, hollow camshafts and CNC-milled cylinder liners. It also produces significantly more torque too, with its maximum pulling power lifted to 620Nm at 5750rpm, with, more importantly, with a flatter and fatter torque curve for extra low-rev urgency.

The Vantage V12 S is more than just a big engine though, as Aston Martin has complemented the additional grunt with modifications to the suspension (fitting three-stage adaptive dampers for the first time), carbon composite brakes are standard equipment, the seven-speed sequential manual gearbox is lighter and its aerodynamics have been altered to create a genuine race car for the road.

The result is a staggeringly rapid car; the fastest Aston Martin to date - with the exception of the limited-run One-77 hypercar - as it can clock triple figures in 3.7 seconds and runs on to a top speed of 328km/h.

The good thing is, while it’s easy to comprehend it can achieve those numbers, it feels just as thrilling at almost any speed, particularly on twisting back country roads like those outside of Palm Springs where it was launched this week.

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Even in its default suspension setting, the Vantage instantly feels like a hard core machine and every ripple is transferred through the car, it tends to wander on the contours of the road and the seven-speed robotised manual transmission lurches between gears when left to its own devices.

It’s never crashy though or difficult to drive at normal speeds, and the carbon brakes have a surprisingly progressive and natural feel to them. Unlike similar road racers such as the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Aston Martin hasn’t scrimped on the luxuries either, which means that when driving around town you can appreciate its niceties such as the hand crafted leather-lined cockpit, dual-zone climate control, sat nav and the thumping Bang and Olufsen audio system.

As soon as you get beyond the city limits, the Vantage comes into its own; hit the sport button and it opens the lungs of the V12 to introduce a richer, deeper growl from the exhaust, the throttle immediately feels toey and the steering gets even sharper.

It drives through the corners with an amazing level of precision for a front-engined car, particularly one with such a big lump of metal in its nose. It turns-in with razor-sharp accuracy and the hydraulic power steering has almost telepathic levels of feedback.

It’s beautifully balanced too, with phenomenal mid-corner grip and great traction from the limited slip differential when you unleash the full fury of the V12 out of a corner.

You also dismiss the stiffness of the suspension when it’s pushed to the limit, as, even in the harder Sport and Track modes, it has an amazing degree of body control with the ability to absorb any undulations or mid-corner bumps quickly and get back to business.

In fact it is so assured and easy to drive fast that it feels as though it could easily handle even more grunt from the V12, as it delivers its power in such a silky smooth fashion.

You can also - almost - forgive how rubbish the outdated robotised gearbox is around town when you switch it to manual mode and use the column-mounted paddles to keep the V12 wailing in its sweet spot between 4000rpm and its 7000rpm cut out.

It is not the kind of sports car you want as a daily driver, but it is one that is rich in luxury and character and genuinely thrilling as a weekend playtoy. Thankfully it also looks drop-dead gorgeous every other day.